I believe that the primary role of an educator is to provide students with the technical and critical thinking skills necessary to visually articulate their ideas. My view towards media and processes is unbiased--as I feel it should be in order for students to find their personal voices and be honest with themselves as makers. Upon entering a classroom, I understand the varying levels of experience among students and acknowledge that their skills must be fostered on an individual level.

I ultimately feel that it is important to give freedom within the set guidelines. The guidelines of each assignment allow the students to have some structure, while the freedom provides them with a sense of independence. I do this by including a theme with each project to allow students to conceptualize their projects. Through my experience, I believe this gives students a sense of ownership when completing projects and allows them to consider ideas in conjunction with technique. Additionally, I feel it is necessary to be hands on with the students in terms of materials through technical demonstrations and explanations of processes and to also provide examples of both historical and contemporary artworks.

Ultimately, students are encouraged to think critically while learning to utilize various materials and processes, whether the course is based on two-dimensional or three-dimensional techniques. With this in mind, students will be asked to consider their intentions with each assignment and my role as an educator is to offer constructive criticism and encouragement to trust in their decisions.